I thought she was dead, but I scooped her up anyway.
She wiggled in my hand and the clung to my finger tip ... she was alive after all. She seemed very content to hang on to my hand and rest, so the pups and I took her along for our walk.
She rode along for about ten minutes until a stiffening breeze threatened to blow her off my hand even as it dried her wings.
In the shelter of overhanging palm fronds, I set her down on a beautyberry bush to take her chances.
A half hour later, the most powerful thunderstorm to strike PFHQ this spring rolled through with gusting winds and driving rains.
I hope she made it.
15 comments:
Wow, what a great new introductory photo!
FC,
Your hairstreak is so beautiful. It was worth the wait. And your pretty swallowtail looks like a girl to me with all that blue on the ventral.
Cool butterfly! I haven't seen a swallowtail in years!
Hey, Happy Father's Day too!
Not so much a post as a lovely small poem.
And a happy Father's Day to you.
Happy Father's Day, fc. Great new header shot, and a sweet rescue story. I hope your swallowtail made it too.
Happy Father's Day, FC! Enjoy the day.
I agree with Robin-nice header. I enjoy the frequent changes and they're always great shots. I must have missed Gumbo pupdate in the midst of traveling to Florida- perhaps he has dengue fever...glad you didn't saute him.
While I was in Florida (back to Chicago late last night) the passion flower vine was in full bloom, climbing 30 feet up the power line and there were clouds of swallowtails all around it- really beautiful. I was wishing I had my camera- but coming here and seeing your shots is easier. Nice pix.
(P.S. I'm taking full credit for you and Miz. S finding each other. She's a delightful blogger from Maryland, teacher and another parent of starter people. Funny and feisty, too.)
I'm so totally making that pic my background. I am glad to see you're copyrighting your pics. They're always too beautiful for someone to steal without credit to you! And, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! :)
I'm so totally making that pic my background. I am glad to see you're copyrighting your pics. They're always too beautiful for someone to steal without credit to you! And, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! :)
Beautiful butterfly bailout, bro.
Busy blackberry bushes! Bad balmy, black baritone boomers bugging butterflies? Beans!
Love those swallowtails, we have many flying at the moment, finally stopped raining.
We have a red admiral who has adopted the front porch railing as his display spot, usually dinnertime when sun is full on west side of the house.
I know they overwinter, but this is the 3rd summer we have been chosen, it can't be the same guy. He is tolerant of humans, let me get within about 12" with macro lens last evening. Makes long looping flight across the width of the front yard and then comes back to railing. Very cool.
Caroline in South Dakota
Advisor, Thanks and welcome to Pure Florida!
Dani,
I went to Wikipedia on the swallowtail gender, thanks!
Thunder,
You will.
They are thick down here.
Miz S,
Why thank you very much.
Robin,
Thanks, I've been saving that hairstreak since the wheatfield post. It was there along the fence row.
Vicki,
And thank you for that. Miz S seems just as you say.
So, did you get your new camera yet?
Mel,
Thank you, thank you.
:)
Happy Father's Day to Roberto too.
Freste,
Bodacious butterfly bugsout before boomers ... believe.
Caroline,
Your porch sounds like mine ... every day/night there seems to be some new bug out there.
So, is there a blog where you show off these butterfly pics?
FC,
Happy Father's Day and...
I'm leaving the resuscitation efforts to you. Last time I tried that it was late fall/early winter and had ridden the bike to work. Riding back home, it was pitch black out, the headlight was dimming and the glasses were fogging and it was getting colder. Once an hour a car would pass me, providing the only light worth anything. I could hear something hobbling along along the road and figuring I was almost in residential area I assumed it was a cat that might have been struck by a car or attacked by another animal. Not wanting to be insensitive here, I took out the trusty bike pump and poked it just to make sure the thing wasn't dead. It wasn't dead and it wasn't a cat.
Freste,
It was a ...?
As Dani said, correct on both ID and gener of the swallowtail. The hairstreak in the header is gorgeous. Well worth the wait. Appropriately for Pure Florida, it's a southern hairstreak Fixsenia favonius.
Oh man, that header is AWESOME!! You really outdid yourself this time, it was definitely worth the wait :) Love the swallowtail too.
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